Is anyone else getting cold/sick much more often these days?

[sdfgdfghj]

I know this is probably due to the pandemic + working from home. However I found that I get cold or sick much more often, specifically in the past year.

I had covid this year in October, but even before that I noticed the pattern. For four years at uni I remember getting sick like twice. This year alone I'm sick for like 5th time alone.

I do try to stay active though, I'm running 5k in the gym regularly, I've been to the gym almost 100 times this year. I'm taking multi-vitamins as well. What else can I do to avoid getting cold so often?

[nonrandomstring]

No, far less.

Covid and working from home had a significant effect on me. It changed my attitude to health. Before, I would spend too long at a screen, take on too much work, not exercise, eat poorly and inconsistently for "convenience".

The pandemic was a wake-up call that made me rethink my age, habits and vulnerability. With regular long walking, better diet, cold-sea swimming and a refreshed attitude to saying "No" to tasks, I have stayed healthier this winter than previously. I prefer to work on-site mingling with students or clients, catch the train and bus, exposing myself to all manner of bugs. Obviously that's personal n=1 anecdata, and may be down to nothing more than good luck.

ADDENDUM:

Maybe it's also worth mentioning, I kinda got habituated into wearing a mask in transit. Still do it, partly because I feel its respectful toward others, but also I bought a bunch of dazzle pattern camo masks that screw up any face recognition cameras, and I kinda like that idea :) The upshot is that I remain more aware of body-space, air and hygiene than before.

[taylodl]

I've had the same experience - far less sickness. I've developed better health habits as a result of the pandemic. I wash my hands more frequently. I wear a mask in public now during the flu season. It's all really helped. Other than getting a minor case of Covid (presumably minor because I was vaccinated and boosted) I haven't even had a cold since the pandemic started. It's been a real wake-up call for the easy steps we can take to prevent sickness.

[sgarrity]

Yup. The flu and other colds/viruses have been much more prevalent this year in our corner of the world (Eastern Canada: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-covi...).

We had strong masking protocols here, and some periods with schools closed. I'm assuming it's just a matter of us "catching up" on three years of colds/flu.

Anecdotally, if feels like everyone is getting sick. It's not great.

[cableshaft]

No, but I WFH and still mostly wear masks indoors (except while sitting at my table at a restaurant or at a home with friends or family or the ocassional social function where I feel a lot of social pressure not to wear them, but I mostly avoid the latter).

I haven't been noticeably sick except for the ocassional runny nose (but tested negative for Covid the ones I tested) the past two years. Normally I'd get bronchitis every transition to and/or from winter, after a runny nose leads to a bad cough.

As far as I know, I haven't gotten Covid yet.

Probably about to get sick, though. I've been doing a lot of holiday functions this year (my wife's work, my work, and a reunion with my past coworkers) and feel a lot of pressure not to wear a mask at those things, and there's like 50-100 people at those.

[can16358p]

Expose yourself more to cold. Take cold baths/showers. Swim in cold sea (if possible) (do not suddenly shock yourself though, enter gradually and slow). Practice Wim Hof Method. Do not sit for long periods of time and walk around at least 5 minutes after every hour of sitting. Avoid stress and practice meditation. Ear less carbs and more fibers/vegetables/meat.

Once you get used to these, it's extremely unlikely that you'll get cold again.

[automatic6131]

> Practice Wim Hof Method Do not practice the pseudoscientific methods of a genetic outlier who strapped some random thoughts and ideas to the _revolutionary_ method of... training. It's a waste of your time, as are cold showers etc.

Even with the best of diets and exercise regimes, you'll still get sick. Don't fall for the "oh well once you sat down for two hours straight and ate some chocolate on Christmas day, of course you got sick, you didn't do it right!!" manipulations.

[altdataseller]

How long do these cold showers have to last? And should i take ice cold showers or just cold? (Should the faucet handle be pointing at 3 o clock or can it be 1 of clock)

[boxed]

Colds are virus infections from multiple species of virus. It's just called "a cold" due to historical misinformed ideas of what it is.

[anenefan]

I have always suffered colds worse than most people I know, to the point I avoided being up too close with those who have "nothing really" and they suggesting other ailments or reasons ... of course I'm basically litmus paper when it comes to colds so I soon know or not if they were right.

The last two years have been a marked change as people my way have isolated at lot more, less was being spread, and I fared better not catching any minor colds. However the last two years, 2020 I prob caught it early (Before tests) and slowly felt better by 2021. (Note: even after testing became available, in Australia one couldn't get tested unless one was already in a hot spot for covid, it took a while for that policy to change.) Strict state isolation meant very little of anything, it was bliss, however once it was open slather, I believe I've caught it again a few months back, only mild fatigue and bother, but bending down pulling out a weed out - I guess my body was pretty soft, and mildly tore a lot of side muscles on one side, still giving a bit of grief.

What I did find help me back in my 20s with a cold that was persistent for 3 years, quite accidentally I started taking a quarter to half a teaspoon a day of 100% pure creatine monohydrate. At that rate I noted a few positive side effects, one being my cold cleared out. The body should have enough from a good diet, mine wasn't and I was a bit over weight, however I was quite active, I was push biking for my main transport so around 60 miles in any given day of the work week. It could be the case less is more, as the significant improvements to resistance to colds and my mood that I noticed, don't seem to be duplicated or reported when the product found it's way into the fitness world. Ultimately I stopped using it because I was became far too mellow and the clowns were taking advantage of that.

Additionally medical research in 2021 pointed out L-arginine was helpful for having a better outcome whilst needing hospitalisation for covid-19 - but nothing concrete as far as I can recall in regard to if it lessens or helps in the initial phase of infection.

[robga]

No, far less for me.

2000-2019: unwell (flu, cold) 2-3 times a year. 2020-2022: not unwell a single time, 36 months counting now.

Context: I now travel on public transport once a month vs 20 times a month. I work from home and not a busy office with meeting rooms. I socialise less. I exercise less (I walk less per day). I eat about the same quality. I sleep more. I get less sunlight. I'm happier.

My view: it's all down to much reduced exposure to the poor hygiene that the public practice. Whether or not there is "more of it about", I'm only exposed 5-10% as much as I previously was.

[pibechorro]

Sunlight (vitaminD) is one of the most important factors.

As you are, strong cardiovascular health (sustained sweat intensely 3x a week)

Eat a balanced and non processed diet high in nutrients. Think salads and meats with some rice and tubers. Snack on fruit and nuts.

Get plenty of sleep.

Try not to be stressed. If you are, simplify your life. Its better to drive an old toyota with faded paint relaxed than to work overtime to cover a new cars high monthly payments fir example. Less is more.

Mask wearing is not putting a dent on it unless you n95 and never touch your face.. health is the answer.

[taolegal]

The focus on masking and vaccines is really just cope that the average person in the first world is so atrociously unhealthy.

You want to reduce strain on the healthcare system? Mandate exercise and outlaw fat people.

Passports for restaurants that show you've been eating healthy.

Of course that's facetious, inhumane and absurd, but so is the public health policy we get shoved down our throats.

[etempleton]

I have had RSV, Covid, and the Flu in just the past two months. I have been sick more than I have been healthy. So yes, this is the worst I ever remember it.

[chriskanan]

Same here. First illnesses I've had since February 2020. In the past, I'd get sick 3 times per year, so I'm hoping that it just happened in a compressed timeline.

[chasenjohnson]

You are not alone here. I’ve been sick around 4-5 times a year since the pandemic started. I assume that this is partly due yo working from home. Also, my liberal hand washing and hand sanitizer probably weakens my immune system. I’ve started supplementing with vitamin d and zinc.

[Balgair]

Been sick since September with the illness of the week. But, I have kiddos in daycare/school.

Still, RSV was a doozy the other week. 3 kids in one class were on oxygen at the hospital for multiple days.

We've been to the hospital twice since September for the kiddos. They're so packed that they put us in a conference room the first time, and the MRI room the second time. Conference room is kinda 'meh', but when they put us in the MRI room, I was stunned. Those rooms are the most dangerous in any hospital by far. That's how packed they are around us.

I agree with the nurses and MDs, this winter is worse than any covid winter.

[joshuanapoli]

I’m getting sick less often, possibly because of still masking in public indoor spaces, or maybe because I began exercising more since the lockdown. I haven’t had Covid (at least not to the extent of symptoms or positive test).

[hardlianotion]

Before I started working from home, I had colds much more frequently. Maybe you are catching the colds in the gym?

[krisroadruck]

To quote the late George Carlin

"What do you think you have an immune system for? It's for killing germs! But it needs practice... it needs germs to practice on. So listen! If you kill all the germs around you, and live a completely sterile life, then when germs do come along, you're not gonna be prepared."

We've spent the better part of 3 years now with social distancing, increased hand washing, and generally avoiding all contact with germs. Your immune system is out of practice.

[joshka]

This story is anecdata bait.

By this I mean, without a means to isolate whether responses are self selecting (either for or against the proposition), it just devolves to a "hn story time" which has way too wide of a context to be meaningful.

If I'm wrong, I wonder what sort of thoughtful expansive substantial comments is this post seeking that are good as a hacker news topic?

To answer the question posed. No. I am generally fine. The weather has been colder on average for this month where I live.

[badpun]

> I do try to stay active though, I'm running 5k in the gym regularly, I've been to the gym almost 100 times this year. I'm taking multi-vitamins as well. What else can I do to avoid getting cold so often?

Go to the gym less often? Like all other enclosed spaces which don't do enough air exchange (e.g. offices, malls, schools etc.) it's a perfect places for people to infect each other with their germs.

[seydor]

There are studies showing that Covid can deplete immune system cells for months

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-00919-x

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.08.09.22278592v...

[_sword]

So I thought I'd add a follow up. The day after I posted that I had fewer colds, etc., I came down with the flu.

[KptMarchewa]

No difference - generally once a year I get sick enough that I need 2-3 days in bed. Covid was more unpleasant, but not really different.

[raxxorraxor]

No, I haven't had a cold for about 4 years*. I would expect that people working from home are sick more rarely since they have less contacts. At least if they do not have kids. If they do, it is probably the other way around indeed. I only did 4 month WFH but still haven't been ill. People with an acute cold do come in more rarely though, which is nice to reduce any additional spread.

Before the lock down time I had ~1 cold per year on average I would guess. I generally do not care about health too much. I seriously doubt the effectiveness of vitamins if you have normal eating habits. They may make things worse if you didn't consult your doctor and he specifically says that you should take them. Otherwise eat an orange from time to time...

I still do regular Covid tests, but I haven't had that either and stopped wearing masks completely.

*edit: I had 1 cold a year ago, but it was only 2-3 days of light symptoms.

[throwaway22032]

No, I feel about the same. If anything slightly healthier.

I didn't work from home much though. Currently writing this from the pub.

[controversial97]

Not me, I'v had much less contact with groups of random people.

Months ago I went to an event in a poorly ventilated pub basement, several days later I developed symptoms and had a positive covid test a couple of days after that.

In past years, in December I travelled on trains full of coughing people and caught a cold. This year I havn't.

[graderjs]

I haven't been sick for 4 years. But I'm feeling the cold more these days than when I was in my 20s. I figure it's getting older, and being less active. I'm going to the gym regularly, and doing regular meditation and energy work. I'm a lot more conscious of my diet than I was when younger, which helps me a lot. I daily eat vegetables, which helps so much. And I minimize with aim to avoid almost all "processed" food, or food with preservatives, pesticides, etc. Eat a lot of home cooking, which is great.

Sometimes I have cravings for crazy stuff like McDonalds, and I just honor it. Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol are not healthy in general and not for me so I minimize them and plan to cut all eventually. I occasionally (fortnightly?) take vitamins and minerals as tablets. I occasionally take a variety of pharmaceuticals or ayurvedic or Chinese medicines that I have found work for me, and there are some things simple well tolerated things I take almost daily. I also am conscious of and tend to my microbiome. Also, when I feel some nasal blockage or possible infection, I'll flush my sinuses with salt water and add a bit of iodine solution. Sometimes I'll gargle iodine as well. I try to stay relaxed as much as possible and try not to let things stress me out. I try to communicate well, assert myself and do what matters to me.

I recently bought an air purifier for home, and I find it really matters a lot. Also I keep the house clean of dust etc. I sleep well, and my gut is regular. I brush my teeth 1 - 3 times a week, and floss 1 - 2 times a week. I have zero fillings. I feel I'm blessed with good health, which is awesome. I wasn't always so healthy. For the first 3 decades of my life I was sick a lot more regularly, like a normal person level.

I drink lots of water, more than most people. Recently I bought a copper jug and sometimes I leave water in the jug then pass it through a Brita filter. Other times I just boil the tap water, then Brita filter it. I love water. I rarely use products on my skin and hair and I try to avoid things with fragrances. Some of the Kiehl's stuff I like tho.

[5e92cb50239222b]

I've had cold maybe 8 or 10 times since the start of this year. As I've been working from home for some years, the norm before that was twice a year at most.

I attributed this to extreme (and still increasing) air pollution; not sure what to think now.

[_sword]

Less often for me and I’ve stopped wearing masks and I have returned to normal life.

[8b16380d]

I am more sick these days, but that's because I have a preschooler...

[benevol]

Yes, immune systems all over the world have been weakened recently (you may or may not want to "speculate" as to the source of this), which is what explains what you perceive.

[oifjsidjf]

Taking multivitamins means shit: most of it are in unabsorbable forms and unless you have severe nutrient deficiencies they will do jack shit.

Change your diet do a more ancestral/paleo one. There are indicators that the gut microbiome is a important factor in this: as you moved away from you parents you probably started eating different foods which further destroyed your body/gut.

Eg read Weston Price's book Nutrition and Phyical Degeneration for a clear example of what the modern diet did to us (and you).

[Jiejeing]

Quite the opposite. I got covid in march 2020 and since then I have mostly WFH, and been careful about masking with efficient gear (N95 and up) indoors, and I have not gotten sick once, whereas previously I would be out one or two times a year for a week each at least.

I do have a perpetual runny nose and some coughing from time to time, but nothing that would qualify as an illness (and I had that before 2020 as well, possibly thanks to inhaling too much tear gas years ago).

[marginalia_nu]

I think there just seems to be a lot going around this year. We've got common colds, the flu, C-199 and RSV doing the rounds at the same time.

[wslh]

You should add a more specific region location to receive more insightful feedback. HN is an international community.

[Freak_NL]

Absolutely a region specific matter, although many countries are now in the same phase. Notable large scale exceptions are China (which is going to get really weird now with zero-covid out the door) and countries like Japan where mask wearing is still common.

In the Netherlands we have no restrictions remaining, and masks are worn by around 1% of people, so this fall season saw a surge of common colds and various other stuff doing the rounds. It's particularly annoying if you have a young child (like I do), because they'll be bringing in all the viruses doing the rounds from kindergarten or school. They do so even without covid, but the pandemic definitely had some weird effects on immune systems and the normal flu season.

My family has been catching colds every three or four weeks since August this year; varying in intensity from too sick to work to mildly inconvenient, but never lasting longer than a week. I think we've had the worst of it by now.

[2rsf]

Not personally but Sweden is having increased cases of Covid, Influensa and RSU now, all at the same time.

[gonzo41]

Sleep more. Go camping and try and run in areas with lots of trees. I find I get more sick the more I'm indoors working at a computer. Which is my full time gig, so I have to make an effort to balance it out and be outside and getting into nature.

[tzs]

I'm not sure. I'm getting what feel like the start of a cold or flu more often than I used to, but if I sleep for a few hours they are gone. I don't think I've had something that lasted past a good sleep in a few years.

[teerak]

It might be counterproductive If you're only running or doing cardio at the gym. Try to add resistance training and put on some muscle. It's not just for looks having a a good amount of muscle makes you healthier overall.

[MrBuddyCasino]

Yes, and this is why: https://www.eugyppius.com/p/the-rate-of-respiratory-infectio...

[Upvoter33]

actually running less. People who push their bodies to the limit tend to get sick more often - this is known among athletes. I would slow down on exercise, gets lots of rest, drink lots of fluids, eat well, etc.

[notacoward]

> People who push their bodies to the limit tend to get sick more often

Yes for extreme exercise, but "5K regularly" isn't going to trigger that effect. In that range, there's a positive long-term effect. That's what athletes and (even more importantly) physiologists really know.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32139352/

The problem here is far more likely to be the "in the gym" part. Being one of many heavy-breathing people in an enclosed space for an extended period will far outweigh any long-term immunity benefit from exercise. Also, OP mentions having COVID before. This raises the possibility of post-COVID inflammation and adaptive-immune-system hyperactivity due to continued RNA shedding. As if that weren't enough, there's mounting evidence that COVID causes lasting damage to the innate immune system. Like the "immune amnesia" associated with measles, COVID seems to leave people more susceptible to all kinds of infection, perhaps permanently.

My suggestion would be to keep running, but do it outside. Yes, even in winter. That's what I do myself, in New England, so it's clearly possible. You just have to gear up properly and learn a few extra habits to keep yourself safe.

[ghstcode]

Yes 100%.

I have not been sick in about 5 years and then I caught Covid when the first wave hit.

Since then, I’ve been sick at least once a month while my wife and kids have experienced the same thing (just less extreme)

[spants]

Many people are experiencing the same after a course of preventative jabs. "I have heard" that it reduces the ability of immune system to fight back against many illnesses.

[tarsinge]

I can add one the far less data point too. Used to get sick multiple times every winter, nothing in the last two years. Also got more allergies in the summer.

[prawn]

Seems like much less, and that’s with three children at three different places (kindy, childcare, etc). Childcare has historically been a vector.

[secondcoming]

I never got covid, and I honestly can't remember the last time I was ill. I got the vax, no longer mask up, but I do smoke. Who knows.

[orwin]

I had a rough three weeks, then started wearing masks again in the train and subway. It's way better now.

[anon291]

No change just concentrated more due to the fact many did not leave their homes for several years

[sAbakumoff]

your immune system is compromised by all these gym visits. Quit until it's too late!

[albertopv]

9 days with the flu, never happened before. Well, I never was almost 40yo before...

[astura]

Nope! In the last three years I've only been sick once.

[senectus1]

nope, I've still not had covid yet and I've been sick once in the last three years and with a one night gastro bug...

I've never been this non-sick!

[RandomWorker]

I had covid this year and definitely a cold or two. Had the influenza vaccine and COVID booster(Pfizer) in September and haven’t been sick since then so, I can recommend that.

Also, once I start feeling something come up I drink a sachet of vitamin C booster (which has an array of other stuff including b12 and zink) that seems to really pick me up.

Running outside versus the gym. I run 2-5km every other day, but I go outside. I just have like a shirt/sweater/down jacket on as layers to keep warm since it gets between -10 and 5C during the day. Extra sweating makes me feel great.

[alliao]

don't push through with covid rest, listen to your body wear good quality well fitting N95 anywhere indoor/crowded space my hot take is we've been ignoring air for so long, it is the last remaining effective transmission path for a lot of pathogens dosage makes the poison, filter your air and let your immune system recover (last paper i saw said ppl still had weakened low t-cell count 8 months after covid)

[Freak_NL]

It's really hard to parse what you're writing without sentences (there are at least six sentences in your paragraph, but nothing to mark their boundaries) and capital letters.

[stolenmerch]

I've kept a daily log of my health, work, activity, etc. since 2010 and was curious about this too. No change at all for me over the past 12 years. I get some kind of mild cold once a year and a major flu-like sickness every 3 years or so. For what it's worth, I personally stopped wearing a mask in May 2021 after getting the covid vaccine. I did not get any covid boosters, but I do get a flu shot each season. Anecdotally, I seem to have not seen any uptick or downturn in my rate of illness, but this season isn't over.

[jcadam]

No, early 2020 was the last time I was sick, some respiratory virus (didn't test). I haven't masked in a long time either - the only places still requiring you to wear a mask around these parts are hospitals (and I really try to avoid setting foot in hospitals). I moved to a rural area in 2021 and work remotely, so I'm not around large groups of people most days.

Also, never vaccinated. Cost me a job (to make it even more stupid, the job was fully remote) - oh well.

[ashokkumarmku]

you might be getting old, you are no longer that young that you used to be 3 years back

[kevinherron]

Haven’t been sick since March 2020. Never got Covid, unless whatever I had that March was it.

[mintaka5]

ever since i got vaxxed, my body always feels odd or out of sorts. never felt like this ever before in my life. i eat healthy, hike, run, and get out a lot, and still my body feels off.

[can16358p]

Had the same, it went off after about 3-4 months after the vax. How long has it been for you since the vax?

[tonetheman]

I still wear a mask unlike most of those where I live.

Masks work so I have not been sick much at all for most of the pandemic.